Crystal Palace have confirmed that manager Roy Hodgson has been taken to hospital.
The former England boss became ill during a training session on Thursday, leading to the cancellation of a pre-match press conference set to be held before Monday night’s trip to Everton.
Hodgson, who at 76 is the oldest manager in Premier League history, is now undergoing tests but said to be in a stable condition.
“Following news that Roy Hodgson was taken ill during today’s training session, we can confirm that he is now stable and is currently undergoing tests in hospital,” Palace said in an official club statement released late on Thursday afternoon.“Everybody at the club sends their best wishes to Roy for a speedy recovery.”
Hodgson’s position at Palace has come under intense scrutiny of late after a dismal run of form that has seen the club win just two of their last 13 Premier League matches, conceding two stoppage-time goals in a galling 3-1 home defeat by London rivals Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Monday night that left them sitting 15th and still just five points above the relegation zone with 12 matches left to play this term.
The Eagles have been in talks with former Eintracht Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner about imminently replacing Hodgson, with Kieran McKenna having ruled himself out of the running during high-flying Ipswich’s push for automatic promotion from the Championship.
Following news that Roy Hodgson was taken ill during today’s training session, we can confirm that he is now stable and is currently undergoing tests in hospital.
Everybody at the club sends their best wishes to Roy for a speedy recovery.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 15, 2024
Further discussions between Palace – concerned about the building threat of relegation – and Glasner had been expected to take place on Thursday, with it being unclear if Hodgson would take charge for Monday’s night’s key meeting with fellow strugglers Everton at Goodison Park.
Glasner has been out of work since leaving Frankfurt at the end of last season. He guided the Bundesliga side to Europa League final glory over Rangers in Seville in 2022, qualifying for the Champions League in the process, and also to last season’s German Cup final, where they lost to RB Leipzig.
He previously took Wolfsburg to the Champions League and managed both LASK Linz and SV Reid in his native Austria, while he has been linked with the Bayern Munich job amid growing doubts over Thomas Tuchel’s position following Wednesday night’s Champions League loss to Lazio.
Hodgson’s glittering managerial career has spanned six decades and he is currently in his second stint at Palace, having been reappointed to the role in March 2023 after the sacking of Patrick Vieira. His previous spell in charge came between September 2017 and May 2021.
He steered them clear of relegation danger last season and was then rewarded with a contract to stay on for another year, but a dreadful run of form has now led Palace to accept that a change in the dugout is needed after chairman Steve Parish initially wanted to wait until the summer to appoint a new long-term manager.
Roy Hodgson was expected to be replaced by Oliver Glasner as Crystal Palace boss (PA)
Recent home wins over Sheffield United and Brentford had appeared to offer Hodgson some respite, but his side were also thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal and shipped four goals away at fierce rivals Brighton in a listless display to only increase the sense of discontent among the fanbase, who ramped up their protests regarding the direction of the club during the defeat by Chelsea on Monday.
After travelling to Everton next, Palace host Burnley in another crucial relegation six-pointer on February 24 before a trip to Tottenham in early March is followed by meetings with Luton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
The Eagles’ plight this term has not been helped by an ongoing injury crisis that currently sees them without a number of key players including Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Cheick Doucoure.
The likes of Rob Holding and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi are also sidelined at present, while Will Hughes was forced off with a knock against Chelsea and will need assessing before the game at Everton.
